1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatuses for carrying out catalyzed chemical reactions, and more particularly to apparatuses for studying catalysts by real-time analysis of reaction products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Basic information about the physical and chemical processes involved in catalytic reactions, such as reaction intermediates, reaction mechanisms, absorption and desorption of reactants and products in catalytic reactions, oxidation and reduction of catalysts, catalyst poisons, the concentration of reactants on a catalyst surface, etc., has heretofore been obtained using techniques such as molecular beam mass spectrometry, modulated molecular beam mass spectrometry, thermal desorption experiments, and temporal analysis of products ("TAP"). TAP is generally a technique for real-time analysis of reaction products, i.e., detection and analysis are carried out as nearly as possible to the instant of reaction, before further reaction of the products or further reaction of fragile and reactive intermediates. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,412 to Ebner et al.
The nature of certain techniques for analysis of catalytic reactions dictates that they be carried out in a vacuum. The vacuum is necessary to achieve molecular flow through the reactor as well as to operate the mass spectrometer, a common instrument utilized in analyzing reaction products and intermediates. However, the necessity of creating a vacuum has greatly limited the conditions which a researcher can impose on his experiment. For example, it has been found desirable to conduct certain catalytic reaction experiments at conditions of standard temperature and pressure. Current vacuum systems for real-time analysis are incapable of creating such conditions, and thus their usage has been unduly limited.